I've had a few days away from the Pop, just to recharge my batteries a bit & to let the lacquer harden before I start wet sanding again.In the meantime though, I've been looking at the back end of the chassis & sorting a few things so I can run without the pick-up bed for a while, (the steel bed needs some modifying & a lot of prep & paintwork before it goes back on, so I plan to run leave it off for the time being).I decided to fit a weight tube across the back of the chassis, to replace some of the weight lost by taking the bed off -if it's too light, the rear suspension won't move, making it a very harsh ride, & the rear brakes will lock up every time I touch the pedal.So I bought a length of 4 1/2" diameter steel tube & cut out some flat discs to blank the ends. I've had captive nuts welded to the round plates to hold the rear lights, then the plates welded to either end of the tube. I am to wrap some flat steel strap around the tube & bolt it through the rear chassis rail. Just sat in place here.I really hope the fabrication shop remembered to weld the captive nuts on before they fitted the end plates, otherwise when I unbolt the rear lights the nuts will fall into the sealed tube.

I've got a pair of 60s Lucas style fog & reversing lamps, which I'll mount on brackets off the bottom of the tube, plus a spare pair of Lucas rectangular reflectors. What's the capacity of a tube 30" long by 4 1/2" diameter?I plan to drill some 1" access holes in the top, plugged with rubber blanking grommets, then once the tube's powder coated black, fill it with the heaviest stuff I can. How much lead shot would it hold & where can I buy it in bulk? Any alternatives? Spanners suggested shotblasting grit -would that be heavy enough?BayChimp suggested concrete -would that go off inside a sealed tube?

I've also bought a chunk of 5mm steel plate as a platform to sit the fuel tank on. As well as being thick enough to ensure it doesn't bow under the weight of 8 gallons of fuel, it also adds a bit more ballast to the back end.I need to trim it to shape, drill the mounting holes, then make up mounts for the handbrake cables, which will bolt or weld to the underside.This'll be powder coated black too.

Got to mark & drill the mounting holes for the tank. It'll sit about 3" lower than this, so the swage line on the cab should be roughly level with the top of the tank.The green looks completely different under different lights & is paler than these photos appear, but I'm pleased to say my cellulose aerosol job on the cab's a pretty reasonable match for the professionally sprayed 2 pack on the fuel tank.

Well first off..I love the look of the petrol tank..and having the weight tube at the back either Chromed/painted and on show looks funky but I feel sticking the number plate on it somehow makes it look rather too busy at the back ? But keep cracking on good sir..it's getting there..

Thanks Dave. Is that heavy? In layman's, (idiot's), terms, what would that be similar to? A couple of bags if cement? Enough to make much difference or still light?I found this Thames truck on FaceBook the other night. Obviously has the same problem -note the bags of cement strapped on the back